Orbital ATK to build US civilian weather satellites

Orbital ATK has been awarded a contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to design, produce and integrate up to three Joint Polar Satellite Systems (JPSS) spacecraft.

The JPSS is to be operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide critical weather forecasting data and to advance environmental and oceanographic science.

The contract includes a firm order for the first satellite, referred to as JPSS-2, valued at USD 253 million and options for two additional satellites, JPSS-3 and -4, valued at USD 217 million.

Under the new contract, Orbital will design and fabricate the JPSS spacecraft, integrate government-furnished instruments, conduct satellite-level testing, and support in-orbit check-out and mission operations. The JPSS-2 satellite will be delivered in 2020, while JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 will be delivered in 2024 and 2028, respectively, if NASA exercises those options. Each JPSS satellite will have a design life of at least seven years once it is launched into orbit.